Boston University Foreign Policy of the People s Republic of China IR 577/PO 576 Semester II, 2016-2017 Tuesday and Thursday, 11:00-12:15 CAS 204A Professor Joseph Fewsmith Office: 156 Bay State Road, No. 401 Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 3:30-5:00 Wednesday 9:30-11:00 Phone: 353-6344 e-mail: fewsmith@bu.edu COURSE AIMS: The intent of this course is to give a broad understanding of the course of Chinese foreign policy since the establishment of the People's Republic in 1949 as well as to take a more intensive look at some of the major problems in Chinese foreign policy in the contemporary period. Our aim is to understand the international problems that China has faced, how it has conceptualized those problems, and how it has tried to deal with them. In looking at Chinese foreign policy, we will attempt to assess how "rational" it has been. Has China based its foreign policy on a stable and well-defined sense of China's national interest or has it viewed the world through Marxist-Leninist or other ideological lenses? In what way do domestic politics influence foreign policy, and vice versa? Most of the course is devoted to understanding China's international behavior in the contemporary period, including its emergence as a major economic power, its situation as an Asian and global actor, and its difficult relationship with the United States. Thus, one question we will raise is that of continuity and change in China's foreign policy. How has China's foreign policy aims changed since the inauguration of reform in 1978? Has China become a status quo power? Will a wealthier and more powerful China challenge the institutions of the world? Is China's succession bringing about a new foreign policy? READINGS: The following book is available for purchase at Barnes and Noble if you care to purchase them: John Garver, China s Quest (Oxford University Press, 2016) ISBN 978-0-19-026105-4 In addition, there are a number of articles that must be read for this class. They will be on the Blackboard website.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Grades will be based on class participation, midterm and final exams, and a research paper. Undergraduate students will be expected to write a paper of approximately 15 pages (double spaced, 12 point font); Graduate students will be expected to write a research paper of approximately 25 pages. All papers will be due on Thursday, April 21. Note that a paper proposal is due on Tues., March 14. This proposal should indicate a topic, a question you hope to answer, and list 4-5 sources that you have consulted and that look useful to you in answering your question. A second paper proposal is due on Thurs., March 24 (two weeks later). This proposal should be more in-depth than the first one, including a refined topic/question and an annotated bibliography of 5-10 sources. This proposal should put you in a position to start writing your paper. It does not mean that you cannot change or add sources, but it does mean that you are locked in on your topic and ready to go. Paper topics should be about some aspect of Chinese foreign policy (not domestic politics), preferably something covered in class, though other topics are permissible but should be decided in consultation with the professor. Please submit your proposals, which have been returned to you, with your final paper. I would like to see how your ideas have evolved. POLICY ON ABSENCES Because of the intensive nature of this course, students are expected to attend all classes. Absences may be excused for medical, religious, official and personal reasons. Absences for illness for more than two days require a medical certificate. Absences for religious observances and for family or personal reasons require documentation. Absence for purposes of representing the University in authorized athletic events or officially sponsored activities are excused by notification from your sponsoring department or activity. The stated University policy reads: "Any student who has been excessively absent from a course may be required to withdraw from that course without credit." I define "excessively absent" for this course to be more than four absences, excused or not. POLICY ON PLAGIARISM Plagiarism is the passing off of the ideas or words of another as your own. It is taken very seriously at Boston University as at all institutions of higher learning. Those believed to have committed plagiarism must appear before a university disciplinary board, a procedure that can result in a student's suspension or expulsion. Your papers should contain appropriate citations. It is better to use too many citations than too few. If you have any doubt about what constitutes plagiarism, please talk with me.
POLICY ON "INCOMPLETES No incomplete grades will be reported unless the instructor and the student have conferred, the student has presented a sufficient reason why the work of the course cannot be completed on schedule, and the instructor has assigned a date within the succeeding twelve months by which time all course requirements must be completed. This must be in written form. No degree credit for incomplete courses will be granted unless the work is completed by the date assigned, which must be no later than one calendar year from the date on when the incomplete grade is reported. In the event that coursework remains incomplete on the assigned date or twelve months after the "I" grade has been awarded, whichever comes first, the "I" grade will be changed automatically and permanently to an F grade. GRADING: Grades for the course will be determined on the following basis: Class Participation (including any necessary quizzes) 10% Midterm 25% Research Paper 35% Final Exam 30%
Course Outline Week 1: Contours of China s Foreign Policy #1 Thurs., Jan. 19: Introduction and Organization: Defining China Week 2: #2 Tues., Jan. 24: The U.S., China, and the Soviet Union Chen Jian, The Myth of America s Lost Chance in China, pp. 38-48 (Blackboard) Garver, China s Quest, Chpt. 1: The Fateful Embrace of Communism and Its Consequences, pp. 1-28. #3 Thurs., Jan. 26: Leaning to One Side Garver, China s Quest, Chpt. 2: Joining the Socialist Camp, pp. 29-58. Week 3: War and Peace #4 Tues., Jan. 31: China and the Use of Force: Korea Garver, China s Quest, Chpt. 3: War in Korea and Indochina, pp. 59-91. Niu Jun, On the Internally-Oriented Characteristic of China s Diplomacy from 1945-1955 (Blackboard) #5 Thurs., Feb., 2: China and the Use of Force: Taiwan Straits Crises Niu Jun, Chinese Decision Making in Three Military Actions Across the Taiwan Straits, in Swaine and Zhang, eds., Managing Sino- American Crises, pp. 293-326. Suettinger, US. Management of Three Taiwan Strait Crises in Swaine and Zhang, eds., Managing Sino-American Crises, pp. 251-292. Week 4: Peace and More Force #6 Tues., Feb. 7: The Bandung Conference
John Garver, China s Quest, Chpt.4: The Bandung Era, pp. 92-112. #7 Thurs., Feb. 9: War in the Himalayas John Garver, China s Quest, Chpt. 6: Sino-Indian Conflict and the Sino- Soviet Alliance, pp. 146-162. Week 5: The End of the Sino-Soviet Alliance #8 Tues., Feb. 14: Breakdown of Sino-Soviet Alliance: Clashes along the Usuri River John Garver, China s Quest, Chpt. 5: The Sino-Soviet Schism, pp. 113-145. Steven Goldstein, Nationalism and Internationalism: Sino-Soviet Relations, from David Shambaugh and Thomas W. Robinson, eds., Chinese Foreign Policy, pp. 224-265 (Blackboard). #9 Thurs., Feb. 16: The Use of Force: Two Views Allen Whiting, China s Use of Force (Blackboard) Week 6: Southeast Asia and Reorienting China s Foreign Policy Tues., Feb. 21: NO CLASS Substitute Monday Schedlue #10 Thurs., Feb. 23: China and Southeast Asia John Garver, China s Quest, Chpts. 8 and 9: Revolutionary China s Quest to Transform Southeast China, pp. 196-231; and Countering the United States in Vietnam: Proxy War with the United States, pp. 232-258. Week 7: Reorienting China s Foreign Policy #11 Tues., Feb. 28: Reorienting China s Foreign Policy John Garver, China s Quest, Chpt. 11: Rapproachment with the United
States, pp. 286-314. #12 Thurs., Mar. 2: MIDTERM EXAM SPRING RECESS: MARCH 4 MARCH 12 Week 8: China as an Economic Power #13 Tues., Mar. 14: China s Growth as a Challenge to the Global Order Garver, China s Quest, Chpt. 25, China s Emergence as a Global Economic Power, pp. 674-704. FIRST PAPER PROPOSALS DUE #14 Thurs., Mar. 16: China s Economy and the Middle-Income Trap China s Challenge to the Global Economic Order, in China s Rise, pp. 9-32 (Blackboard). Sustaining Economic Growth in China, in China s Rise, pp. 105-136. Barry Naughton, Economic Growth, From High-Speed to High- Quality, in Fewsmith, ed., China Today, China Tomorrow, pp. 71-90 (Blackboard). Week 9: China as a Military Power #15 Tues., Mar. 21: Military Modernization Garver, China s Quest, Chpt. 23, Military Confrontation with the United States, pp. 607-633. China s Military Modernization, in China s Rise, pp. 209-234. #16 Thurs., Mar. 23: Military Modernization? Garver, China s Quest, Chpt. 24, China s Long Debate over Response to the US Challenge, pp. 634-673. M. Taylor Fravel, China s Search for Military Power, The Washington Quarterly, Summer 2008.
Week 10: Public Opinion and Nationalism #17 Tues., Mar. 28: Two-Level Games Robert Putnam, Diplomacy and Domestic Politics: The Logic of Two- Level Games, International Organization, Vol. 42 (Summer 1988), pp. 427-460 (Blackboard). Fewsmith and Rosen, The Domestic Context of Chinese Foreign Policy: Does Public Opinion Matter? in Lampton, ed., The Making of Chinese Foreign and Security Policy, pp. 151-187 (Blackboard) SECOND PAPER PROPSAL DUE #18 Thurs., Mar. 30: Nationalism Susan Shirk, The Echo Chamber of Nationalism: Media and the Internet, Chpt. 4 of Fragile Superpower, pp. 79-104 (Blackboard). Alastair Iain Johnston, Chinese Middle-Class Attitudes Toward International Affairs: Nascent Liberalization? The China Quarterly, No. 179 (September 2004), pp. 603-628 (Blackboard). Suisheng Zhao, China s Strident Turn (Blackboard) Yawei Liu and Justine Zheng Ren, An Emerging Consensus on the US Threat: The United States According to PLA Officers (Blackboard) Week11: Power Transitions #19 Tues., Apr. 4: Power Transitions Randall Schwaller, Managing the Rise of Great Powers: History and Theory, in Alaistair Iain Johnston and Robert S. Ross, ed., Engaging China, pp. 1-26 (Blackboard). Jack S. Levy, Power Transition and the Rise of China, in Ross and Zhu, eds., China s Ascent, pp. 11-33 (Blackboard). #20 Thurs., Apr. 6: Power Transition and International Institutions Zhu Feng, China s Rise Will Be Peaceful: How Unipolarity Matters, in Ross and Zhu, eds., China s Ascent, pp. 34-54 (Blackboard). G. John Ikenberry, The Rise of China: Power, Institutions, and the Western Order, in Ross and Zhu, China s Ascent, pp. 89-114 (Blackboard).
Week 12: The Taiwan Issue #21 Tues., Apr., 11: The Military Balance and Tsai Ying-wen David A. Shlapak et.al., A Question of Balance: Political Context and Military Aspects of The China-Taiwan Dispute, available at www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/2009/rand_mg888.pdf Alan D. Romberg, The 1992 Consensus Adapting to the Future? China Leadership Monitor, No. 49 (Winter 2016). Alan D. Romberg, Tsai Ing-wen Takes Office A New Era in Cross- Strait Relations, China Leadership Monitor, No. 50 (Summer 2016). Alan D. Romberg, The First 100 Days: Crossing the River While Feeling the Stones, China Leadership Monitor, No. 51 (Fall 2016). #22 Thurs., Apr. 13: The Current Situation Richard C. Bush, The 2016 Election and Prospects for Taiwan s Democracy, Orbis, Fall 2016, pp. 473-487. Shelley Rigger, Kuomintang Agnonistes: Party Politics in the Wake of Taiwan s 2016 Elections, Orbis, Fall 2016, pp. 488-503. Jacques delisle, Taiwan s Quest for International Space: Ma s Legacy, Tsai s Options, and U.S. Policy, Orbis, Fall, 2016, pp. 550-573. Week 13: China s Interests in the Korean Peninsula #23 Tues., Apr. 18: China s Interests David Shambaugh, The Washington Quarterly (Blackboard). Jae Ho Chung, China s Ascendancy and the Korean Peninsula: From Interest Reevaluation to Strategic Evaluation, in Shambaugh, ed., Power Shift, pp. 151-169 (Blackboard). #24 Thurs., Apr. 20: The Nuclear Issue Dingli Shen, Cooperative Denuclearization toward North Korea, The Washington Quarterly, October 2009 (Blackboard). Jonathan D. Pollack, Kim Jong-il s Clenched Fist, The Washington Quarterly, October 2009 (Blackboard). Victor D. Cha, What Do they Really Want? Obama s North Korea Conundrum, The Washington Quarterly, October 2009
(Blackboard). PAPERS DUE Week 14: The East and South China Seas Week 15: #25 Tues., Apr. 25: Overlapping Interests Garver, China s Quest, Chpt. 26: Reassuring and Unnerving the Neighbors: Japan, pp. 705-733. Congressional Research Service, Senkaku (Diaoyu/Diaoyutai) Islands Dispute: U.S. Treaty Obligations (Blackboard) #26 Thurs., Apr. 27: Territorial Disputes Michael D. Swaine, China s Assertive Behavior Part Three: The Role of the Military in Foreign Policy, China Leadership Monitor, no. 36 (Blackboard). Taylor Fravel, Maritime Security in the South China Sea and the Competition over Maritime Rights, Chapter 2 of Patrick Cronin, ed., Cooperation from Strength, pp. 31-50. #27 Tues., May 2: A Summing Up Final Exam: Thursday, May 5: 12:30-2:30